'If a gran can do it, anyone can'

Women firefighters wanted

Bec Hopkins, 40, from Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan has been a firefighter for 10 years.

A mother-of-three and a grandmother, she oversees the running of young firefighter groups, and features in a new campaign urging women to join the fire service in Wales.

I've loved my job. It's been really exciting, a challenge and I've met some fantastic people.

It's been emotional and rewarding. I started training in February 1997. Before that I had been a mother-of-three, working in an estate agent.

What first attracted me was security in the job and that you were helping people.

Initially, I thought there was no point applying because it was more of a man's job. But I was doing tae kwando with someone who was training as a firefighter and mentioned it to him. He was very encouraging.

When I got into the fire service I was excited and also a bit anxious. I went on a 14-week residential training course.

Then, there were two women in the job already but I was the only woman on my training course. The encouragement of my fellow recruits helped enormously.

We all worked together as a team to get through it. I was always treated the same and the same standards were expected of me throughout the course.

They don't do it now in training but we all had to carry a colleague on our shoulders while wearing breathing apparatus.

Bec Hopkins says competent women with a sense of humour fit in

It's not about physical strength. Be a firefighter, it's about teamwork.

I consider myself to be reasonably fit and strong enough to do the job and to achieve what needs to be achieved.

By bringing women into the job, you are bringing different skills and enhancing skills already there.

As long as you prove you are competent at the job and you've got a reasonable sense of humour, you will fit in.

And that's the same for whichever gender. Initially, colleagues and the public could be surprised to see a female within the job.

It was particularly funny when driving down the street: girls would look up and wave and flirt and I look out of the window. They looked horrified.

Over the years, colleagues have become more used to it. It's become more acceptable. I would say to other women, don't be put off by thinking you are not capable because the standards needed to be met are appropriate for the role you need to do.

It is certainly within the reach of a lot of women out there.

It's the variety of the job that is an attraction.

The camaraderie is important. We all help each other through various incidents. You are part of that team. Gender doesn't come into that.

I'm glad I went into this job when I did. The shift pattern with children was brilliant. It gave me more time with my family than a nine to five Monday to Friday job.

My eldest daughter has now got two children of her own. If a grandmother of two can do this job, anybody can.

If you've got a certain amount of physical fitness, a good sense of humour and are determined, I'm confident any woman would enjoy this job.